Did Calvin Klein Just Confirm Raf Simons Is Taking Over His Brand?

Calvin Klein offered clues about who’ll take over as the brand’s next creative director—and signs point directly at Raf Simons.

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Complex Original

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When Italo Zucchelli and Francisco Costa announced their departure from Calvin Klein back in April, rumors were already swirling that Raf Simons would be their singular successor. The suspicions were supported by the brand's announcement that it was combining the design of the men's and women's collection under one visionary, and the fact that Simons had yet make a move since his exit from Dior last October. 

Now, a recent interview with designer Calvin Klein seems to hint that those rumors are actually very real. Klein discussed Costa's replacement during a visit to Andy Cohen's Sirius XM show, where he revealed that the new creative director will be starting no later than early August. Although he didn't share any specific details, it seems that they already have the replacement on board and it just might be Simons. 

"They just finally made changes in the design staff," Klein told Cohen. "They are doing something that I had hoped they would have done, which is replace me. Find someone who can with a singular vision oversee everything that is creative. They won't announce who it is publicly because it's under contract. But the whole industry knows."

If Klein saying "the whole industry knows" wasn't enough to fuel the rumors, the timing certainly does. Simons is currently under a non-compete agreement with Dior's parent company LVMH. A contract that is reportedly set to expire at the end of July.

We will have to wait a couple months for an official confirmation, but we can only hope it's true. 

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